Meet Sara
A New, Healthier You!
A Fitness Experience with a difference!
Colors of the rainbow…for food
Colors of the rainbow…for food
I am going to admit something…when I go grocery shopping I’m always judging people’s grocery carts. I can’t help it. As a Winnipeg personal trainer and nutrition expert it’s second nature.
But what I see in Winnipeggers carts is not good. In fact, very boring.
Hardly any fruits or veggies, and what little there is isn’t much more exciting than apples.
Time to start adding some color. And no, I don’t only mean to your closet (have you see all the pinks and blues in skinny jeans and tights this season? Love it).
A wide selection of color in your produce is necessary to keep your brain and body working at their peak.
We all know that eating more produce is a good idea – at least five servings per day. But don’t get so boring like khakis.
Our diets need to be filled with a variety of fruits and vegetable colors. Here’s some stats for you from a recent government study: 69% of Canadians don’t get enough green; 78% don’t get enough red; and 79% don’t get enough yellow/orange.
We tend to eat the same produce over and over again.
Boring.
This means that you end up missing out on a lot of the health compounds from the colorful fruits/veggies that do different things to protect your health.
Here are some easy tips to add more color to your eating:
1. Crack the color code. No one color is better than the other, but we need a full spectrum of colors. Choose away.
Greens: Broccoli, artichokes, asparagus, green grapes, avocados, bok choy – cancer protecting phytochemicals and eye-saving antioxidants.
Yellows: Peppers, lemons, yellow tomatoes, pineapples, pears – full of vitamin C, heals wounds and helps block harmful UV.
Oranges: Grapefruit, tangerines, carrots, peaches, peppers, oranges – beta carotene to boost immune function, improves oral health (citrus fruits).
Reds: Strawberries, apples, pomegranates, watermelon, peppers, tomatoes – cancer fighter and DNA damage reducer; flavonoids (cherries, berries) boost antioxidant defense and fight heart disease.
Blues/Purples: Red grapes, purple cabbage, eggplant, blueberries, beets – many of these have anthocyanins, which protect cells from oxidative damage and slow aging signs; cancer fighting, too.
Whites: Onions, shallots, garlic, cauliflower – reducing heart disease risk and improve immune function, cancer fighting.
2. Buy at the peak fresh times.
Thanks to global food markets, we can get so much variety at our stores, even if it is not in season here.
Year round availability: avocados, romaine lettuce, kiwis, bell peppers
Early Spring: artichokes, pineapples, asparagus, strawberries
Early Summer: grapes, watermelons, tomatoes, green beans, blueberries, peaches
Early Fall: broccoli, mushrooms, pears
3. Different fruits and veggies have different storage requirements. Be sure you know how long they can keep, to wash or not to wash, and if they require refrigeration (berries) or if they should never set foot in a fridge (tomatoes).
4. Don’t boil the heck out of veggies. Your grandma may have boiled carrots and broccoli, but boiling removes almost all the nutritional value of them in the water, that is then poured out down the drain. Steam or grilled veggies instead.
So as we enter into the best time of the year for fresh produce, add tons of color to your baskets. Don’t worry, unlike fashion, colors in fruits and veggies never clash.
Yours in health,
Sara
The lies of “low fat”
Just finished our round of Winnipeg boot camp classes and I had a blog post come to mind.
As you know I run three back to back boot camps at an awesome site called Gymkyds. Inside there is a small canteen that I’m sure serves the parents and kids who come to the gymnastics programs that run the rest of the day.
One things that catches my attention is the selection of high sugar snacks available for the kiddies. Things like cookies, wagon wheels, gummie worms…and granola bars.
We know that the first three snacks are totally unhealthy. Pure sugar.
But then comes the granola bar.
It says “low fat s’mores” and it only has 90 calories…so that must make a good ” healthier” snack, right?
Wrong.
And that’s what I want to discuss today.
The food industry does an incredible job advertising their products to make them appear healthier than they actually are. Face it, with 60% obesity in Canada, there’s a lot of pressure to offer consumers foods that appear to not be the problem for weight gain.
And when you add words like “naturally and artificially flavored”, well, I guess we’re supposed to feel better about it now.
But under careful examination, I want to show you how the so-called low fat, low calorie snack, is a horrible choice.
The ingredient list is looongg.
Here’s what’s inside a Quaker low fat s’mores granola bar:
*whole grain rolled oats, brown sugar, crisp rice (rice flour, sugar, salt, malted barley extract), whole grained rolled wheat, soybean oil, whole wheat flour, sodium bicarbonate, soy lecithin, caramel color, nonfat dry milk, corn syrup, brown rice crisp (whole grain brown rice, sugar, malted barley flour, salt), semisweet chocolate chips (chocolate, sugar, liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), sugar, dehydrated marshmallows (sugar, corn syrup, modified food starch,gelatin, natural and artificial flavors, sodium hexametaphosphate, blue 1), corn syrup solids, invert sugar, glycerin, graham cookie pieces (sugar, whole wheat flour,wheat flour, canola oil, honey powder, sodium bicarbonate, salt, soy lecithin, natural flavor), contains 2% or less soybean oil, sorbitol, calcium carbonate, salt, water, molasses, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavor, creamed coconut, BHT (preservative), citric acid.
Whew! That’s quite the list of ingredients for a so called healthy granola bar.
What do you notice in the ingredients? Lots of wheat. Lots of sugar. Soy lecithin. Chemicals like Biue 1.
Do you really want to let your kids eat this? And you?
As I’ve always said, if a 6 year old can’t read the ingredients listed, then don’t eat it.
Now, if you were to make your own homemade bars with oats, flax meal, honey, coconut, slivered almonds, almond butter and some dark chocolate bits, then you have a much more recognizable and certainly healthy snack that will actually leave you satisfied because it is higher in fat and protein; it’s these that fill you up.
So, the next time you see a low fat granola bar, please think twice about grabbing it for snack. You’re being lied to.
To your health,
Sara
Monday Motivation
Happy Monday!
Did you have a great weekend? I know I did. It was full of activity and fun thanks to the German engineering of my boyfriend, who plans things so well.
We did:
*cross country skiing at Beaudry Park
*gym time for a great workout
*go-cart racing at Speedway in St. James
*travel planning for our upcoming trip to Iceland and France
*using a pressure washer to wash his truck (tons of fun 
*gluten-free Mexican meal at Don Pedro’s in the Exchange District (I was totally surprised they would even have gluten free options there)
Not too shabby, huh?!
Anyway, being that it’s Monday, I wanted to share with you a fantastic quote to pump you up for the week ahead.
The quote has been used in various forms over the years. I think Henry Ford was the first to be quoted by it, but so has Mary Kay Ash and others.
“If you think you can, you can.
If you think you can’t, you’re right.”
Why is this important?
Because our thoughts become things. I’ve mentioned the power of the subconscious mind many times. Thinking that you will lose those last 10 pounds or training hard and running a sub 2hour half marathon – those thoughts when rehearsed over and over in your mind, become reality.
1. Write down what you truly desire on paper. Use the active form, not passive form.
2. Keep this paper with you at all times. Read and re-read it throughout the day. Not once, but a dozen times, or more.
3. Put it to memory.
4. Watch what happens.
Sara Hutniuk ~ Sweatmarks
Fit Trip Caribbean (it’s gonna be fun)
Happy Monday! I hope you had an awesome weekend.
If you picked up this morning’s Winnipeg Free Press and checked out the Life section right here, you would have seen yours truly on the front page highlighting my upcoming Fit Trip in winter 2012. Yay. Thanks to Shamona at the WFP for all her help.
Fit Trip?
What the heck is that? Well. It’s my brainchild for an active holiday catering to people sick and tired of gaining weight on a 10-day winter holiday (especially since they’re quite healthy the other 355 days a year).
Let’s tap into our subconscious mind for a moment and really visualize what this Fit Trip is all about. Close your eyes and dream with me for a moment.
It’s February 2012.
Winnipeg is enjoying a frigid winter with lots of snow and temperatures in the minus 30s.
But you’re not there.
Nope. You’re with me and 18 other people on my First Annual SWEATMARKS Fit Trip Caribbean aboard Princess Cruises.
We leave behind the snow and cold of Winnipeg and embark on a world-class cruise ship that starts off in the charming city of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico (where we’ll be venturing out on a historical walking tour of the city) and then we board the Princess cruise as it meanders its way through the Southern Caribbean to include stops in gorgeous St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Grenada and Aruba.
Instead of snow as far as the eyes can see, you’ll be seeing pristine beaches with golden sand, blue waters from the Caribbean Sea and sunrises that make your think that God spent a little extra time to make this area so beautiful.
Never mind the cruise ship. I’ve never been on a cruise before but Princess is top of the line for value and excellence. It’s literally a city on the sea and from what I’ve seen from Cheryl (my super travel planner at River East Travel) this ship is amazing.
Wish you were here?
Well you can.
About a year ago I got thinking about hosting my own fitness trip (ie Fit Trip) so people who enjoy being active and eating healthy can continue on that way during a vacation.
I’ve had several boot camp clients of mine complain after returning from their winter holidays that they actually felt worse than better – in no small part to weight gain due to rich foods, free-flowing alcohol and A LOT less activity (and no, walking from the bar to the pool does not count!).
Did you know that the average Canadian who goes on a winter vacation gains between 5-8 lbs during their trip?
Instead of feeling energized after your holiday you end up feeling sluggish.
As a personal trainer and health expert, I want to share with you another way….
Maybe I’m weird, but when I’m on holidays I still want to exercise, try new physical activities and not deviate too far from my eating routine. My gluten intolerance makes this my reality, but there are so many healthy eating options on a cruise (as I’ve found out). Cruises actually cater to a whole range of dietary needs. With Cheryl’s help, prior to my Fit Trip, I’m going to be able to review menus for our group meals together and provide a variety of options to select from. We’ll have smoothies for a post-workout snack, healthy breakfasts from the “healthy buffets” that includes lots of low-glycemic fruits, high quality proteins, and wheat-free grains.
HINT: By now you’ve probably realized that If you’re the kind of person who enjoys lounging on the sun deck while visiting the ice cream bar three times…then this Fit Trip might not be for you!
OK Sara I’m totally interested in a Fit Trip. What do I do next?
Great question.
Mark this date down because it’s happening this week: Wednesday November 23, 2011
With the excellent team at River East Travel I’m going to be holding an Information Night from 7-7:45pm.
The address is 1795 Henderson Hwy, Unit 11.
You need to RSVP Cheryl Gilmore at (204) 338-4677 by this Wednesday afternoon if you’re going to attend. Even if you aren’t sure about it, why not at least get some info on the costs, what’s included, all the extras we’ll be providing plus the fun and amazing body you’re going to have AFTER the cruise.
This will be a one-of-a-kind trip that no one else in Manitoba if offering.
5 Easy ways to Drop 5 Pounds
I’d like to share five simple strategies with you for shedding five pounds of fat before the holidays.
But first let me clear something up.
Weight loss can be put into two categories.
The first is a fully concentrated effort. This is where you dedicate yourself to counting every calorie and slaving away in the gym. The pounds come off, but once you relax the regimen your weight goes right back to where it was.
The second is a combination of simple lifestyle changes. This is where you change a few key factors about what you eat and how you exercise, without making it a fulltime job. This type of weight loss is gradual and permanent, since you are able to maintain it long term.
The five simple strategies below all fall into the lifestyle change category. These strategies may seem ridiculously simple, but do them over an extended period of time and you will see amazing, permanent results.
Strategy #1: Ditch Your Diet Soda
Studies are coming out that link diet soda to weight gain.
Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio concluded that those who drank two or more diet soft drinks a day had the largest waistline increases—about five times more than that of non-drinkers. They stated, “Data from this and other prospective studies suggest that the promotion of diet sodas as healthy alternatives may be ill-advised: they may be free of calories, but not of consequences.”
Bottom line: Artificial sweeteners are addictive, lead to waistline increases, and cause you to crave sugary foods. By cutting diet soda out of your daily routine, and replacing it with water, you will lose inches and pounds—effortlessly.
Strategy #2: Swap Sandwich Bread for Lettuce
Move over bread, lettuce is better.
It’s time to re-define your sandwich. While bread has tradition on its side, lettuce wraps offer you weight loss and increased energy. Try my Tasty Tuna Lettuce Wraps recipe below.
Bottom line: Eating bread and other starchy foods always leads to extra pounds, so change your ways. Swap your sandwich bread for lettuce for 30 days and see how much you will effortlessly lose. I bet you’ll feel more energetic after lunch too.
Strategy #3: Trade Slow Cardio for Intense Intervals
Doing slow cardio will not give you results.
In order to really make your workout effective, you need to turn up the intensity. If you love the treadmill, then do a series of sprints throughout your workout. If you’re a swimmer, then push yourself extra hard every other lap.
Bottom line: Doing slow, easy cardio will not give you the streamline body you want. Only intense intervals will do that for you. Pepper your workout with bouts of intense cardio and watch as the fat starts to disappear.
Strategy #4: Avoid Sugar 99% Of The Time
Sugar will cause you to gain weight every single time.
There’s really no way around that simple truth. Sugar is standing between you and your perfect body. If you’re serious about looking and feeling great, then understand that sugar has no place in your diet.
Bottom line: If you avoid sugar 99% of the time, then you will be on your way to a lean and energetic body. If it’s your birthday or a special holiday, then partake in a small amount of sugar, but make that the exception and not the rule.
Strategy #5: Exercise With A Professional
When I design your workouts, you know it will be good.
People who work with a personal trainer get better results than those who attempt to do it on their own. Just look at my clients and their amazing transformations, and you’ll see what I mean. Each workout will push you to your limits, challenge your body and deliver the results you’re looking for.
Bottom line: All of my clients expect to get the best workout of their lives each and every time they train with me, and my job is to over-deliver.
Call or email today and I’ll get you started on a program that will get you to the body of your dreams.
mailto:sara@sweatmarks.com
Phone: 204 795 4467